Do you have a special talent? This week’s Part 1 speech shadowing exercise pushes you to practise speaking about this topic, as well as the topic of watches.
Step 1: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode (audio and video version available below).
| Part 1 Questions Do you live in a house or an apartment? What is your favourite room? Do you usually use a watch? What do you think about people who wear expensive watches? Let’s talk about talents. Do you have a talent? Were you especially good at something when you were a child? Does your talent help you at work? |
| 🧑🎓Target language: lateral thinking -a person’s ability to solve problems using thoughtful solutions “My job also demands creativity and lateral thinking.” |
Step 2: Listen to the sample a few times to get more familiar with the language.
Step 3: Engage this week’s full speech shadowing lesson. (If you do not yet have access, click here to sign up for full lessons.)
Step 4: Below is Monday’s speech exercise. Post yourself saying this excerpt to your Whatsapp group. Exercises for Tuesday to Friday will be posted in the group by your instructor. (If you have not yet been added to a group, click here to sign up – select ‘Join a Whatsapp group’.)
| Post yourself saying this into your Whatsapp group!🗣️📲 “I would have to say my bedroom. It’s cozy and decorated in relaxing pastel colours. It also has a double-paned window and blackout curtains, so I almost always sleep well.” |
Step 5: It’s very important that you note any new language items or pronunciation points from this week’s lesson in your journal to help you chronicle your improvement.📝
Transcript
Do you live in a house or an apartment?
I live in a house in the eastern part of Shiraz.
What is your favourite room?
I would have to say my bedroom. It’s cozy and decorated in relaxing pastel colours. It also has a double-paned window and blackout curtains, so I almost always sleep well.
Do you usually use a watch?
I don’t, actually. I own a nice watch that my father gave me, but it’s more of a family heirloom than something I regularly wear. I think the last time I wore it was to a wedding last year.
What do you think about people who wear expensive watches?
I think people should have the freedom to wear whatever jewellery they want. I don’t feel that people who wear expensive watches are necessarily doing it to show off or be pretentious. If they own a nice watch and enjoy wearing it then more power to them.
Let’s talk about talents. Do you have a talent?
Hmm I need a moment to think of one. I suppose I could say I’m a talented chess player. A few years ago, I competed in my city for a chance to join our national team. I didn’t qualify, but just playing in this tournament put me among the top 10 chess players in Shiraz.
Were you especially good at something when you were a child?
Well, I was also good at chess as a child, but aside from this I had an especially good memory. At the age of 8, I could recite pi to 100 digits. A few years later, I could examine a Rubik’s Cube and then solve it from memory while blindfolded. My strong memory was an abnormal talent but one that came in handy during my schooling days.
Does your talent help you at work?
My memory is still good, but it isn’t nearly as strong as it used to be. I am an engineer, and I work with numbers a lot and I suppose my memory does help me do calculations in my head very quickly…but my job also demands creativity and lateral thinking, so unfortunately my talent doesn’t help much with this.
Thank you.
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